Publications
Many of our publications are available in Open Access. If not, let us know and we will send you a pdf!
For a complete publication list of Leen Delang, click here (Lirias).
2024
Depletion of skin bacteria by topical antibiotic treatment accelerates onset of Zika virus disease in mice , , , , , , , , ,
Is Culex modestus a New Usutu virus vector? Soto A, Wauters L, Delang L. Parasites & Vectors.
Lack of abundant core virome in Culex mosquitoes from a temperate climate region despite a mosquito species-specific virome De Coninck L, Soto A, Wang L, De Wolf K, Smitz N, Deblauwe I, Mbigha Donfack KC, Müller R, Delang L, Matthijnssens J. mSystems.
β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC, EIDD-1931) inhibits chikungunya virus replication in mosquito cells and ex vivo Aedes aegypti guts, but not when ingested during blood-feeding Rosales-Rosas AL, Soto A, Wang L, Mols R, Fontaine A, Sanon A, Augustijns P, Delang L. Antiviral Research.
2023
Culex modestus: the overlooked mosquito vector.
Belgian Culex pipiens pipiens are competent vectors for West Nile virus while Culex modestus are competent vectors for Usutu virus.
Soto A, De Coninck L, Devlies AS, Van De Wiele C, Rosales Rosas AL, Wang L, Matthijnssens J, Delang L. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Ex vivo gut cultures of Aedes aegypti are efficiently infected by mosquito-borne alpha- and flaviviruses.
Rosales Rosas AL, Wang L, Goossens S, Cuvry A, Li LH, Santos-Ferreira N, Soto A, Dallmeier K, Rocha-Pereira J, Delang L. Microbiology Spectrum.
Tarsal exposure to atovaquone inhibits chikungunya virus transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, but not the transmission of Zika virus.
Wang L, Sanon A, Khoiriyah Z, Verwimp S, Abdelnabi R, Delang L. Antiviral Research.
Identification of culturable fungi and bacteria in mosquito saliva and impact on arbovirus infection in vitro Wang L, Remue L, Verwimp S, Adriaens N, Rivas F, Soto A, van Bree J, Garigliany M, Delang L. preprint on bioRxiv.
2022
Bidirectional Interactions between Arboviruses and the Bacterial and Viral Microbiota in Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus Shi C, Beller L, Wang L, Rosales Rosas A, De Coninck L, Héry L, Mousson L, Pagès N, Raes J, Delang L, Vega-Rúa A, Failloux AB, Matthijnssens J. mBio.
First report of kdr L1014F and ace-1 G119S insecticide resistance in Belgian Culex mosquitoes. , , ,, , , , ,
Biodistribution and environmental safety of a live-attenuated YF17D-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate.
Li LH, Liesenborghs L, Wang L, Lox M, Yakass MB, Jansen S, Rosales Rosas AL, Zhang X, Thibaut HJ, Teuwen D, Neyts J, Delang L, Dallmeier K.
Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev.
Perturbation of alphavirus and flavivirus infectivity by components of the bacterial cell wall.
Posaconazole inhibits multiple steps of the alphavirus replication cycle.
2021
Establishment of Culex modestus in Belgium and a Glance into the Virome of Belgian Mosquito Species.
Wang L, Rosales Rosas AL, De Coninck L, Shi C, Bouckaert J, Matthijnssens J, Delang L. mSphere.
Favipiravir Does Not Inhibit Chikungunya Virus Replication in Mosquito Cells and Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes.
Jacobs S, Wang L, Rosales Rosas AL, Van Berwaer R, Vanderlinden E, Failloux AB, Naesens L, Delang L. Microorganisms.
Repurposing Drugs for Mayaro Virus: Identification of EIDD-1931, Favipiravir and Suramin as Mayaro Virus Inhibitors.
Langendries L, Abdelnabi R, Neyts J, Delang L. Microorganisms.
Structural Insights into the Mechanisms of Action of Functionally Distinct Classes of Chikungunya Virus Nonstructural Protein 1 Inhibitors.
Kovacikova K, Gorostiola González M, Jones R, Reguera J, Gigante A, Pérez-Pérez MJ, Pürstinger G, Moesslacher J, Langer T, Jeong LS, Delang L, Neyts J, Snijder EJ, van Westen GJP, van Hemert MJ. Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy.
Recent African strains of Zika virus display higher transmissibility and fetal pathogenicity than Asian strains.
Aubry F, Jacobs S, Darmuzey M, Lequime S, Delang L, Fontaine, A., Jupatanakul, N., Miot EF, Dabo S, Manet C, Montagutelli X, Baidaliuk A, Gámbaro F, Simon-Lorière E, Gilsoul M, Romero-Vivas CM, Cao-Lormeau V-M, Jarman RG, Diagne CT, Faye O, Sall AA, Neyts J, Nguyen L, Kaptein SJF, Lambrechts L. Nature Communications.
2020
Antiviral Strategies against Arthritogenic Alphaviruses.
Abdelnabi R, Delang L. Microorganisms.
Understanding the Mechanisms Underlying Host Restriction of Insect-Specific Viruses.
Elrefaey AM, Abdelnabi R, Rosales Rosas AL, Wang L, Basu S, Delang L. Viruses.
A novel class of chikungunya virus small molecule inhibitors that targets the viral capping machinery.
Abdelnabi R, Kovacikova K, Moesslacher J, Donckers K, Battisti V, Leyssen P, Langer T, Puerstinger G, Quérat G, Li C, Decroly E, Tas A, Marchand A, Chaltin P, Coutard B, van Hemert M, Neyts J, Delang L. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.
Identification of 2-(4-(Phenylsulfonyl)piperazine-1-yl)pyrimidine Analogues as Novel Inhibitors of Chikungunya Virus.
Moesslacher J, Battisti V, Delang L, Neyts J, Abdelnabi R, Purstinger G, Urban E, Langer T. ACS Med. Chem. Lett.
Pan-viral protection against arboviruses by activating skin macrophages at the inoculation site.
Bryden SR, Pingen M, Lefteri DA, Miltenburg J, Delang L, Jacobs S, Abdelnabi R, Neyts J, Pondeville E, Major J, Mueller M, Khalid H, Tuplin A, Varjak M, Merits A, Edgar J, Graham GJ, Shams K, McKimmie CS. Science Translat. Med.
2019
Antiviral drug discovery against arthritogenic alphaviruses: tools and molecular targets.
Abdelnabi R, Jacobs S, Delang L, Neyts J. Biochemical Pharmacology.
Stable distinct core eukaryotic viromes in different mosquito species from Guadeloupe, using single mosquito viral metagenomics.
Shi C, Beller L, Deboutte W, Yinda KC, Delang L, Vega-Rúa A, Failloux AB, Matthijnssens J. Microbiome.
Chikungunya virus drug discovery: still a long way to go?
Pérez-Pérez MJ, Delang L, Ng LFP, Priego EM. Expert Opinion in Drug Discovery.
A viral polymerase inhibitor reduces Zika virus replication in the reproductive organs of male mice.
Jacobs S, Delang L, Verbeken E, Neyts J, Kaptein SJF. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
2018
Favipiravir as a potential countermeasure against neglected and emerging RNA viruses.
Delang L, Abdelnabi R, Neyts J. Antiviral Research.
Differential Transmission of Antiviral Drug-Resistant Chikungunya Viruses by Aedes Mosquitoes.
Delang L, Yen PS, Vallet T, Vazeille M, Vignuzzi M, Failloux AB. mSphere.
2017
Antiviral treatment efficiently inhibits chikungunya virus infection in the joints of mice during the acute but not during the chronic phase of the infection.
Abdelnabi R, Jochmans D, Verbeken E, Neyts J, Delang L. Antiviral Research.
Chikungunya virus infections: time to act, time to treat.
Abdelnabi R, Neyts J, Delang L. Current Opinion in Virology.
Understanding the mechanism of the broad-spectrum antiviral favipiravir (T-705): key role of the F1 motif of the viral polymerase.
Abdelnabi R, de Morais AT, Leyssen P, Imbert I, Beaucourt S, Blanc H, Froeyen M, Vignuzzi M, Canard B, Neyts J, Delang L. Journal of Virology.
Ex vivo midgut cultures of Aedes aegypti are efficiently infected by mosquito-borne alpha- and flaviviruses Rosales Rosas A, Wang L, Goossens S, Cuvry A, Li L, Santos-Ferreira N, Soto A, Dallmeier K, Rocha-Pereira J, Delang L. preprint on bioRxiv.
Bidirectional Interactions between Arboviruses and the Bacterial and Viral Microbiota in Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus Shi C, Beller L, Wang L, Rosales Rosas A, De Coninck L, Héry L, Mousson L, Pagès N, Raes J, Delang L, Vega-Rúa A, Failloux AB, Matthijnssens J. mBio.
First report of kdr L1014F and ace-1 G119S insecticide resistance in Belgian Culex mosquitoes. , , ,, , , , ,
Biodistribution and environmental safety of a live-attenuated YF17D-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate.
Li LH, Liesenborghs L, Wang L, Lox M, Yakass MB, Jansen S, Rosales Rosas AL, Zhang X, Thibaut HJ, Teuwen D, Neyts J, Delang L, Dallmeier K.
Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev.
Perturbation of alphavirus and flavivirus infectivity by components of the bacterial cell wall.
Posaconazole inhibits multiple steps of the alphavirus replication cycle.
COVID-19 related research
With the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolding at the end of 2019, we felt that we had to contribute with our expertise to the preclinical evaluation of antiviral therapies against this virus. Together with colleagues of the Rega Institute, we established a clinically relevant infection model in hamsters (Boudewijns 2021). Using this model, we showed that favipiravir (at a high dose) and a SARS-CoV-2 directed nanobody significantly decreased viral replication in the lungs, whereas hydroxychloroquine did not (Kaptein 2020). This hamster model is currently being used at our institute to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 therapies for academic and industry partners.
2023
Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 concentration and circulation of variants of concern in wastewater of Leuven, Belgium Rector A, Bloemen M, Thijssen M, Delang L, Raymenants J, Thibaut J, Pussig B, Fondu L, Aertgeerts B, Van Ranst M, Van Geet C, Arnout J, Wollants E. Journal of Medical Virology.
2022
HIV protease inhibitors Nelfinavir and Lopinavir/Ritonavir markedly improve lung pathology in SARS-CoV-2-infected Syrian hamsters despite lack of an antiviral effect Foo CS, Abdelnabi R, Kaptein SJF, Zhang X, Ter Horst S, Mols R, Delang L, Rocha-Pereira J, Coelmont L, Leyssen P, Dallmeier K, Vergote V, Heylen E, Vangeel L, Chatterjee AK, Annaert PP, Augustijns PF, De Jonghe S, Jochmans D, Gouwy M, Cambier S, Vandooren J, Proost P, van Laer C, Weynand B, Neyts J. Antiviral Research.
2021
An affinity-enhanced, broadly neutralizing heavy chain-only antibody protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection in animal models Schepens B, van Schie L, Nerinckx W, Roose K, Van Breedam W, Fijalkowska D, Devos S, Weyts W, De Cae S, Vanmarcke S, Lonigro C, Eeckhaut H, Van Herpe D, Borloo J, Oliveira AF, Portela Catani JP, Creytens S, De Vlieger D, Michielsen G, Zavala Marchan JC, Moschonas GD, Rossey I, Sedeyn K, Van Hecke A, Zhang X, Langendries L, Jacobs S, Ter Horst S, Seldeslachts L, Liesenborghs L, Boudewijns R, Thibaut HJ, Dallmeier K, Vande Velde G, Weynand B, Beer J, Schnepf D, Ohnemus A, Remory I, Foo CS, Abdelnabi R, Maes P, Kaptein SJF, Rocha-Pereira J, Jochmans D, Delang L, Peelman F, Staeheli P, Schwemmle M, Devoogdt N, Tersago D, Germani M, Heads J, Henry A, Popplewell A, Ellis M, Brady K, Turner A, Dombrecht B, Stortelers C, Neyts J, Callewaert N, Saelens X. Science Translational Medicine.
Comparing infectivity and virulence of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in Syrian hamsters.
Abdelnabi R, Boudewijns R, Foo CS, Seldeslachts L, Sanchez-Felipe L, Zhang X, Delang L, Maes P, Kaptein SJF, Weynand B, Vande Velde G, Neyts J, Dallmeier K. EBioMedicine.
Itraconazole for COVID-19: preclinical studies and a proof-of-concept randomized clinical trial.
Liesenborghs, L., Spriet, I., Jochmans, D., Belmans, A., Gyselinck, I., Teuwen, L.-A., ter Horst, S., Dreesen, E., Geukens, T., Engelen, M. M., Landeloos, E., Geldhof, V., Ceunen, H., Debaveye, B., Vandenberk, B., Van der Linden, L., Jacobs, S., Langendries, L., Boudewijns, R., Do, N. D. T., Chiu, W., Wang, X., Zhang, X., Weynand, B., Vanassche, T., Devos, T., Meyfroidt, G., Janssens, W., Vos, R., Vermeersch, P., Wauters, J., Verbeke, G., De Munter, P., Kaptein, S. J. F., Rocha-Pereira, J., Delang, L., Van Wijngaerden, E., Neyts, J., Verhamme, P. EBioMedicine.
2020
STAT2 signaling restricts viral dissemination but drives severe pneumonia in SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters.
Boudewijns, R., Thibaut, H.J., Kaptein, S.J F., Li, R., Vergote, V., Seldeslachts, L., Van Weyenbergh, J., De Keyzer, C., Bervoets, L., Sharma, S., Liesenborghs, L., Ma, J., Jansen, S., Van Looveren, D., Vercruysse, T., Wang, X., Jochmans, D., Martens, E., Roose, K., De Vlieger, D., Schepens, B., Van Buyten, T., Jacobs, S., Liu, Y., Martí Carreras, J., Vanmechelen, B., Wawina, T., Delang, L., Rocha-Pereira, J., Coelmont, L., Chiu, J.H W., Leyssen, P., Heylen, E., Schols, D., Wang, L., Close, L., Matthijnssens, J., Van Ranst, M., Compernolle, V., Schramm, G., Van Laere, K., Saelens, X., Callewaert, N., Opdenakker, G., Maes, P., Weynand, B., Cawthorne, C., Vande Velde, G., Wang, Z., Neyts, J., Dallmeier, K. Nature Communications.
Favipiravir at high doses has potent antiviral activity in SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters, whereas hydroxychloroquine lacks activity.
Kaptein, S J F, Jacobs, S, Langendries, L, Seldeslachts, L, Ter Horst, S, Liesenborghs, L, Hens, B, Vergote, V, Heylen, E, Barthelemy, K, Maas, E, De Keyzer, C, Bervoets, L, Rymenants, J, Van Buyten, T, Zhang, X, Abdelnabi, R, Pang, J, Williams, R, Thibaut, HJ, Dallmeier, K, Boudewijns, R, Wouters, J, Augustijns, P, Verougstraete, N, Cawthorne, C, Breuer, J, Solas, C, Weynand, B, Annaert, P, Spriet, I, Vande Velde, G, Neyts, J, Rocha-Pereira, J, Delang, L. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA.
Animal models for COVID-19.
Muñoz-Fontela, C., Dowling, W.E., Funnell, S.G P., Gsell, P-S., Balta, X.R., Albrecht, R.A., Andersen, H., Baric, R.S., Carroll, M.W., Cavaleri, M., Qin, C., Crozier, I., Dallmeier, K., de Waal, L., de Wit, E., Delang, L., Dohm, E., Duprex, W.P., Falzarano, D., Finch, C.L., Frieman, M.B., Graham, B.S., Gralinski, L., Guilfoyle, K., Haagmans, B.L., Hamilton, G.A., Hartman, A.L., Herfst, S., Kaptein, S.J F., Klimstra, W., Knezevic, I., Krause, P.R., Kuhn, J.H., Le Grand, R., Lewis, M., Liu, W-C., Maisonnasse, P., McElroy, A.K., Munster, V., Oreshkova, N., Rasmussen, A.L., Rocha-Pereira, J., Rockx, B., Rodríguez, E., Rogers, T., Salguero, F.J., Schotsaert, M., Stittelaar, K., Jan Thibaut, H., Tseng, C-T., Vergara-Alert, J., Beer, M., Brasel, T., Chan, J.F W., García-Sastre, A., Neyts, J., Perlman, S., Reed, D.S., Richt, J.A., Roy, C.J., Segalés, J., Vasan, S.S., Henao-Restrepo, A.M., Barouch, D.H. Nature.
Emerging preclinical evidence does not support broad use of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients.
Funnell, S.G P., Dowling, W.E., Muñoz-Fontela, C., Gsell, P-S., Ingber, D.E., Hamilton, G.A., Delang, L., Rocha-Pereira, J., Kaptein, S., Dallmeier, K.H., Neyts, J., Rosenke, K., de Wit, E., Feldmann, H., Maisonnasse, P., Le Grand, R., Frieman, M.B., Coleman, C.M. Nature Communications.
Medical treatment options for COVID-19. Delang L, Neyts J. Eur. Heart J. Acute Cardiovasc. Care